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The Embodied Dimension of Imagination. Expanding the Loop Model
Fabienne Gfeller1, Tania Zittoun2
1Institute of Psychology and Education, FLSH, University of Neuchâtel, Espace Tilo-Frey 1, Neuchâtel, 2000, Switzerland. fabienne.gfeller@unine.ch.
Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science
|June 5, 2020
Summary
This study explores the embodied dimension of imagination, proposing an extension to the imaginary loop model. It integrates embodied activities, like aikido, to better understand how physical actions shape imaginative processes.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Embodied Cognition
Background:
- Sociocultural aspects of imagination are well-researched.
- The embodied dimension of imagination, particularly the role of physical movement, remains under-explored.
- Imagination is intrinsically linked to bodily experience and action.
Purpose of the Study:
- To theorize the embodied dimension of imagination.
- To extend Zittoun, Cerchia, and Gillespie's imaginary loop model.
- To analyze activities where body movement is central to imagination.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis drawing on the imaginary loop model.
- Integration of Schuetz's notion of provinces of meaning.
- Case study analysis of aikido practice.
Main Results:
- The concept of here-and-now reality is redefined to include embodied actions.
- The imaginary loop model can be applied to analyze activities with significant body movement.
- A fourth dimension, 'degree of embodiment,' is proposed to enhance the model.
Conclusions:
- Embodied imagination is a crucial area for theoretical development.
- The extended imaginary loop model offers a framework for analyzing embodied imagination.
- Physical movement plays a vital role in shaping and enacting imagination.
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